Iran vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Patent applications, residents

Iran
10,210
in 2021
Sub-Saharan Africa
1,834
in 2020
Iran rank
11th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
1st

Patent applications, residents over time

  • Iran
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
05.0k10.0k15.0k198020002021

How they compare

Iran currently reports 10,210 against 1,834 in Sub-Saharan Africa, a difference of 8,376.

That makes Iran's figure about 5.6 times Sub-Saharan Africa's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 39 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.

Iran ranks 11th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 1st of 135 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 3 and Sub-Saharan Africa in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iran Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 192.22 4,119 3,927 Sub-Saharan Africa
1990s 276.6 814 537.4 Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s 5,398 1,075 4,323 Iran
2010s 12,435 1,378 11,057 Iran
2020s 11,396 1,834 9,562 Iran

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patent applications, residents, Iran or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Iran, at 10,210 against 1,834 in Sub-Saharan Africa as of 2021.
What is the difference in patent applications, residents between Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa?
8,376, with Iran ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa?
39 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2020.
How do Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for patent applications, residents?
Iran ranks 11th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 1st of 135 countries.
Where does this data come from?
WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans, published as Patent applications, residents. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Iran vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Patent applications, residents. Statizoid, drawing on WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/patent-applications-residents/iran-islamic-rep/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Patent applications, residents
Source
WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 4,224 data points, 1980–2021
Last refreshed

Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.